Much media attention has focused on whether the private-equity owners of United Biscuits are preparing to sell off the UK biscuit maker. However, Katy Askew suggests, a sale is unlikely to be on the agenda in the near term.

Private-equity firm Langholm Capital was this week reported to have put UK crisp group Tyrrells on the market. Langholm has declined to comment on the reports but the investment firm are said to have put a GBP100m (US$151.9m) price tag on the company.

The private-equity owners of Burton's Biscuit Co. are "considering options" for the UK's second-largest biscuit maker, a process that could lead to an eventual sale. Katy Askew takes a look at the players for whom an acquisition of Burton's could hit the sweet spot.

There were, despite continued economic uncertainty in many Western markets and concerns over slowing growth in the East, signs that M&A activity rebounded in the food sector this year. However, a look at just-food's M&A coverage this year shows there have been few big-ticket, transformational deals.

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Intersnack announced this morning (5 December) that it has reached an agreement to purchase the snacks arm of United Biscuits, KP Snacks. The news ended months of speculation over who would acquire the unit after it was put on the block by its private-equity owners, Blackstone and PAI Partners. Intersnack international marketing director Bernd ter Glane spoke to Katy Askew about the German company's plans for the group.

Confectioners have gathered from all over the world to attend sector-specific trade show ISM in Cologne this week. Many companies are showcasing some of their most recent innovations, providing an indication of the latest trends in global confectionery markets. Here is a selection of some NPD that caught our eye.

Plum Organics this week joined Happy Family and Ella's Kitchen as three organic baby food brands set to have new, multinational owners. Campbell Soup Co. is to buy Plum, joining Danone and Hain Celestial as three food majors that have looked to invest in the growing category in just a month.

The week's two major stories broke within hours of each other on Wednesday - Tesco admitted it was "likely" to leave the US and Germany's Intersnack snapped up United Biscuits' salty snacks business. Elsewhere, ex-Tesco CEO Terry Leahy led a private-equity buy-out of UK discounter B&M Retail and Canada's Saputo agreed to buy Dean Foods' Morningstar arm. Meanwhile, Singapore agribusiness giant Olam International found its finances under scrutiny and we interviewed the head of Nestle's operations in equatorial Africa.